Kindred Souls
by elphabachan
Summary: William 'Spike' the Bloody blows into Point Place looking for an escape, and instead finds a friend in Jackie Burkhart. Buffy wasn't the first human to touch his heart. Buffy crossover, JOC friendship, JH implied eventually.
1. Lonely Hearts Club

A/N: Okay, this is just a little fluff and ridiculousness that I thought of awhile ago and never posted. Until now, that is, as I'm having trouble jump starting my newest story. Lots of people combine fan fics, or so I have read, and I've seen ONE that's combined these two bases… But I don't' think I've seen ANY that combine them in this manner. So we'll see where it goes from here, and hope that it works out. I'm hoping for something really funny and sweet. Kind of like a LOST IN TRANSLATION thing. This is for Buffy fans as well, namely Spike fans, like me…

* * *

Point Place, Wisconsin, 1979 

How the bloody hell did I end up here? Spike wondered, looking at the scenery around him. Sure, he knew that he split town when he found Dru with yet ANOTHER man, but he lost track of how long he'd driven for. He must have, because he was in someplace called Point Place, Wisconsin. I drove from New York City to Wisconsin and didn't even notice it? I must be pissed off, he thought, and looked up at the moon. Sure, he'd stopped to rest during the day a couple times to sleep and avoid the sun, but it all blurred together. Those random gas stops should have tipped me off. Oh well, he thought, parking his car in the middle of the town. I could use a drink anyway. And maybe have a feed while I'm at it.

Since it was Wisconsin, Spike saw a bar right away, and sauntered on in. People turned and stared, but then averted their eyes because it wasn't polite to stare. He smirked a little, it's as if they've never seen a punk before. Of course, he wouldn't have been surprised if they hadn't. And ever since Sid sodding Vicious died that February, Spike was thinking about a change in look anyway, so it was nice to go out with a bang. He sat at the bar, and raised a hand.

"What can I get for you?" the man asked.

"Guinness," Spike said. The man nodded, looking somewhat intimidated, and Spike lit a cigarette. This could be a nice, quiet, relaxing pit stop before I head on back to the Big Apple, he thought. Just drink my beer, maybe grab a truck driver on the way out, for the road, and then start the long drive back. I'll probably forgive Dru, it's what I do. It's in my nature, after all.

"Where are you from?" the bartender asked. Spike took a drag, and smirked.

"I'm from London," he said, exhaling. "But lately I'm from New York City."

"That's a long ways away, how'd you end up here?"

"Spat with the lady, just started driving," Spike said, taking a gulp of beer.

"Ah yes. We get a lot of lonely hearts in here," the bartender said. "In fact, here comes one of our more recent fits of that description." Spike turned, and saw a small, skinny, wide eyed brunette enter the bar. She looked to be about nineteen. Nineteen and already drinking her problems away, that's really sad, Spike thought. Though he was a cold blooded mass murdering vampire, he could, on occasion, feel pity. And he most certainly did for this young woman who entered the bar. Even if she did look somewhat appetizing all the while.

She walked to the bar, sat down, and rested her chin on her hand. She didn't even seem to notice the scary punk with bleached hair sitting next to her. She was in her own little world.

"What'll it be tonight, Miss Burkhart?" the bartender asked. She shrugged.

"Pina colada, I guess," she said, and put her purse on the bar.

"Okay," he said, and went to prepare it.

Spike was good at reading people. And just by looking at her he could tell that she used to be completely care free. Judging by her outfit, she had money. Probably just out of high school, and didn't go to college because she was just raised to find a man and get married. Which she obviously didn't find, and was now alone in a bar, with those dull eyes. Those dull multi colored eyes…

"Here you are," the bartender said, setting a drink in front of her. She accepted, and began to drink it. She stared into space as she did.

"Here's hoping it snows," she said, raising her glass. Spike really couldn't take his eyes off of her, she was very intriguing. What makes a rich girl so goddamn sad?

"I'll cover that," Spike heard himself saying, and her eyes darted to him as she drank. "Hi, I'm Spike." She put her drink down, and put on a strong, contrary face.

"Ew, sorry, I don't talk to punks," she said. "And I don't need anyone to pay for me, especially someone who looks like he can't afford to comb his hair much less buy a girl a drink."

DAMN she's spunky, Spike thought. She'd be downright obnoxious if she wasn't… Hell, she IS downright obnoxious!

"Fine, no skin off my nose, love," Spike said, finishing his Guinness. "Just trying to be nice, s'all."

"Well thanks, but I don't need anyone being nice to me," she said. "How come every stranger I meet just takes a look at me and decides that they should be nice to me? Do I look that pathetic?" She did, but he wasn't going to say it.

"Suit yourself," Spike said, bitterly, and ordered another beer.

"So what's your story?" the bartender asked him as he poured another Guinness. Spike raised his cigarette, and smirked a little in his emotional pain and anger.

"It's pretty fucking dismal," he said. "So I get home from a rock show one night, and go into the bedroom to see my bird, and sure enough, there she is. In bed with another man." The girl snorted, and Spike chose to ignore her.

"I demand to know what's going on, and Dru (my bird) says 'Spike, I need some space. You're too CLINGY.' Can you believe that? She called me clingy!" The girl groaned, and huffed a little bit. Spike looked over at her, and she was still drinking that colada.

"I say 'how am I clingy? Because I want a monogamous relationship?' And she says 'I don't want that kind of commitment!' We've been together for years, and I mean YEARS, and she decides she doesn't want a commitment!" He was getting irritated just talking about it. "So I grabbed some things, got my car, and hit the road." He left out that he had killed someone and stolen said car, and that he and Dru had been together for nearly one hundred years. And that the other man was actually a demon with an exceedingly long tongue, which was probably why she picked him up in the first place.

"I have that beat," the girl said. Spike looked over at her. "I have that WAAAAAAAY beat."

"Oh yeh, ten bucks says you don't," Spike said. She laughed a little, and threw ten bucks on the table.

"You're on!" she said, haughtily.

"Go on, then, tell me a sob story," he sneered, setting down ten dollars as well. She drank more colada, and then turned to face him.

"I had been dating MY lover for a while. My first boyfriend was one of his best friends, and that guy cheated on me all the time. When he ditched me to go to California I got together with Steven. Steven and I HATED each other before that. Well, I had a crush on him, but we fought all the time. I was too cheerleader, or whatever, and he was too poor," she said. Spike held in a laugh, she was very brash. "But we got together, and we'd been dating for awhile, and I fell in love with him. I fell so hard…. Anyway, I began asking him when we were going to get married. He would NOT commit to me. We broke up for a little while, but got back together, and THEN I got offered a job in Chicago to do my own TV show. My own FREAKING TV show!

"But I didn't want to leave Steven. So I told him that I was going to take the job unless he could tell me we had a future together. Well, he didn't get back to me, so I assumed we had broken up. I went to Chicago, and my ex (my first ex, not Steven, Michael), and I almost did it because I was so heartbroken. But at the VERY LAST MINUTE I said no to him. But as luck would have it, Steven had come to PROPOSE to me. And he saw Michael, didn't wait for an explanation, and left."

"That is rough, but-," Spike began.

"Hold on!" she said, covering his mouth. "Not finished! So I come back here, because I was so distraught at my job they fired me. ME. Jackie Burkhart got fired!"

"I'm sorry to hear that, but I still-."

"Still not done!! So Steven comes back, and I tell him that I didn't do anything with Michael, and I want another chance. I admitted that I was wrong, and I don't do that often!! So he says 'well Jackie, I'm just not ready to get married'. And then who shows up at the door?"

"Who?" Spike asked, taking a vaguely interested drag off his cigarette.

"His WIFE." Spike was genuinely caught off guard, and coughed the smoke out. "Yeah. Apparently in Vegas in a drunken stupor he married a STRIPPER. So now we don't talk without fighting, I'm alone, without a glamorous job, stuck in this Cow Town." After a moment of silence, Spike moved the money to her. She squealed a little bit, and bounced in her seat. "Thank you!"

"You knew her story was better, didn't you?" Spike asked the bar tender. He just smirked, and went to tend other customers. "Yeh, thanks for the warning, mate!" He turned to the girl on the stool, who was putting the money away in her purse.

"Though to be fair the marriage wasn't legal, she had another husband," Jackie said. "She left him. But then she came back with a divorce, because she 'loves Steven' or whatever. So I still win this little bet."

"So your name is Jackie," Spike said. She nodded, and began counting the money she had all together. "And I can tell that you like money."

"Well, who doesn't?" she asked, and put her purse away. "Don't non committed lovers suck?" Spike nodded.

"I'll drink to that," he said. They clinked glasses, and she smiled at him happily.

"FINALLY someone to talk to about this," she said. "My friends are friends with Steven, so they try to remain 'unbiased' or whatever. Too bad they just end up making me feel like an idiot. You haven't though, and you gave me money, so you have more points than they do right now." Spike chuckled, and shrugged.

"Well, you know," he said. "Everyone needs to vent sometimes. So what is there to do in this town?"

"Psh. Nothing. Get high, get drunk, go to the water tower," she said. "I would say go to the record store and listen to music, but Steven owns that place. So NO."

"I could use a new Sex Pistols album," Spike said, thinking out loud.

"Well I could use a new ABBA album, but I'm NOT about to go in there by myself," she said. "His stupid skanky girlfriend is always in there listening to music. And she'd probably accuse me of stalking him. Even if I was just in need of a new record!" Spike put out his cigarette.

"Yeh, that's rough," he said, and then she got a very happy and bitchy look on her face.

"You're named Spike, right?" she asked. He nodded, wary. "Okay, Spike. Let's go to the record store."

"Excuse me?"

"I want a new ABBA and you want a new Sex Pistols or whatever," she said. "If I don't have to go alone, maybe I could do it!"

"Oh ho no, I'm not going to be a ringer for a new boyfriend," he said, and she swatted his shoulder. "Ow-."

"You are NOT being my new boyfriend!" she snapped. "I'm off men for awhile. My last relationship was just AWFUL."

"Steven?"

"No, our friend Fez. Don't ask."

"His name is Fez?"

"I just need someone to help me get my new ABBA album!" she said, ignoring his question about Fez.

"Forget it!" Spike said. "Grow a spine, woman!"

"I'll give you your ten dollars back."

"You act like I'm a mercenary."

"You're punk! Therefore you're poor!" He was about to go off on how that was stereotypical, but she was right, he was strapped for cash at the moment. He groaned, and nodded. She squealed, and clapped her hands together.

"Okay! This is going to be great! GOD I want that album so bad!" she said, paying for hers and his drinks and grabbing his arm. "JEEZE you're cold! Do you want my scarf?"

"No thanks," he said. Not only did he not have a body temperature, but her scarf was bright pink. "Fine, let's get this over with."

"You get your nasty punk music too, so don't get all pissy!" she demanded as she paid. She certainly was bossy. He would have thought 'I see why he dumped her', but there was something else about her that was almost irresistible. She was extremely tough in her own way, but also had a vulnerability he liked. Especially in his potential victims… She knew what she wanted and she would usually get it. And when she didn't, that's when the bar runs would happen. She had a fire that was slowing dulling. She was infuriating and yet extremely appealing. 'How could he dump her?' was what he ended up thinking as he followed her out into the chilly winter night.

* * *

A/N 2: Clearly this is pre-soul Spike, no time travel needed as he's been around forever. For those unfamiliar with him, he's probably one of the more intriguing characters in the BuffyVerse. I hope this is a good start. I do enjoy a good crossover! 


	2. Spike and Burk, The Adventure Begins

A/N: I was so HAPPY to see that this is garnering a generally positive response! I want to thank everyone who reviewed, they gave me confidence that perhaps I am doing two of my favorite TV characters justice. And I should mention that this is indeed set in my ManhattanVerse series, and kezztip so sagely pointed out. Hope you like this chapter, what with the record store and all…

* * *

"I wish it would snow," she said, as they walked down the street. Spike glanced at her, and then decided to venture into the mind of Jackie Burkhart.

"Why, Burk?" He had decided to call her that. Jackie was too… personal. He didn't do personal. Whenever he did personal it got him into trouble.

"Because snow means that the holidays are coming," she said. "And I can then immerse myself in the holiday season and not have to think about Steven, or my future, or any of that."

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense," he said, smoking a cigarette. "I get what you're sayin'. Snow means cold, which means that people get depressed and I use that to my advantage."

"How so?" she asked, and he shrugged.

"Never mind," he said. They stopped outside the record store, and she held her arms around herself.

"It hasn't snowed yet and I need it to," she said. "The one year that I need it to snow it just won't do it. It's snowed everywhere else in the world, but not Point FREAKING Place."

"That's too bad," Spike said. "Is this his place?" She nodded, and turned her back to the window.

"Yeah. I can't look."

"Why not?" She didn't answer, and simply held her back to the window.

"That's him," she said, pointing over her shoulder. Spike looked in the window. He was handsome enough, though he looked like he was pretty angry at the world. Kicked around by life, all that. "And that blonde on the couch is HER." Spikes eyes drifted to the woman on the couch. She wasn't that attractive, and CERTAINLY didn't compare to Jackie in beauty.

"Her face is crooked," Spike said, and Jackie laughed a little bit. "Okay, so what do we do?"

"We just walk in together, I get my album, you get yours, we talk, we laugh, you make me forget that they're staring and glaring at me," she said.

"Should I snog ya a little bit? Make em jealous?"

"Ooh… But no. I'm not into games anymore," Jackie said. "I'm mature now. Games got me into this."

"Games could get you out," he teased, and she snorted. "Fine, no snogging."

"Come to think of it, I don't even know what 'snogging' is," she said. "But thanks. I could really use the support."

"'S not a big thing," Spike said. "Okay, Burk, are you ready?" She nodded, and they entered the store.

Hyde looked up and saw his ex walk into the store. His chest clenched a little bit, and he damned himself for allowing it to do so. She hadn't come in for a long time, and he was just getting used to her absence. But then she returned. And wait, who was that guy she was with?

"So what other punk are you into?" she asked as they strolled to the punk section. Spike shrugged, and they began flipping through the albums.

"I like the Ramones, and the Clash," he said. "But being from England, the Sex Pistols are my favorites."

"Hello, the Clash is from England too," she said.

"They conform too much. I'm surprised you knew that, though," he said.

"Well the Sex Pistols just gave up, what does that say?" she asked, looking at album covers. "Oh, that's lovely." She pointed at a naked woman posing in such a way that it was SOMEWHAT left to the imagination.

"I think so," Spike said, smirking. "And they gave up because they didn't want to please anyone but themselves."

"… Like me!" she said, and Spike laughed.

"Though, love, I doubt that when people see you they think 'Sid Vicious'." Hyde and Sam were looking at them, no doubt surprised that this little rich girl was hanging out with a British Punk. He smirked a little.

"Don't you have a record of them if they're your favorite?"

"Dru broke it in the fight," Spike said, and got mad just thinking about it. "Bitch. Sid signed it for me too!'

"That's too bad. She sounds like a total skank," she said, and found a copy of the album. "Here's one!" He nodded, and laughed a little.

"Yehhhh, that's the one," he said, and she pulled out a marker from her purse. "What are you, Mary Poppins? What else you got in that bottomless pit of a purse?" She arched her eyebrow at him, and then began to write on the album. She held it up for him. '_To Spike. I'm punk and angry. Love, Sid_.'

"I don't think he would say 'love, Sid'."

"Well what did he say before?"

"Come to think of it, it wasn't very legible…"

"So mine's better then."

"… Why can't I argue with that?"

"Because I'm cute."

"Yeah, that must be it. Okay, now to ABBA, is it?"

"YAY!" she cheered, jumping up and down a little. She grabbed his arm, and dragged him to the disco. "Ugh, they don't carry enough disco in this store."

"Because you're the only one in town who listens to it," Hyde finally said, feeling that she had ignored him long enough. She turned, and crossed her arms.

"You know that isn't true," she said. Spike pointed at the records, and she nodded. "You're right, just ignore him."

"Who is this?" Hyde demanded. Jackie continued to take no notice of him, and kept looking through the albums.

"Oh, here's the ABBA!" she said. "So Spike, what do you-?"

"His name is SPIKE?" Hyde asked.

"Yeh, what's it to ya?" Spike demanded. No one insulted his name.

"I guess it's nothing, I just thought that Spike as a bad ass name went out with Butch and Rocko," Hyde said. I'd like his sense of humor if he wasn't directing it at me, Spike thought, and kind of smirked.

"And I thought that aviator sunglasses went out when Elvis died on the toilet, but here we are," he retorted.

"Burn!" Jackie exclaimed. Spike chuckled at her spiteful elation, and turned back to his new friend as she flipped through ABBA records.

"Is this the one, Burk?" he asked. She looked at it, and shook her head.

"No, it's VERY specific," Jackie said. "Like, it's just called 'ABBA'."

"So it's their first one?"

"I guess."

"That's not really new then, is it?"

"It's new to me! EEEE!! Here it is!!" She grabbed it, and showed it to Spike.

"Yeah, it's their first album," Spike said. "How old hat."

"But 'Mamma Mia' is on it," she huffed. "Come on, you're from Europe, you know how cool they are!"

"Ha!" he scoffed. "I know how awful they are." She swatted him, and pulled him to the front with her. "Why do you gotta hit-?"

"Steven, I'm buying these two records," Jackie said.

"You don't have to buy my-."

"Spike, please, let me buy it for you," she said, putting a hand on his lips again. So bossy, he thought, and shrugged. "I know that your little singer didn't sign this one, but it's still, well, loud music. And I signed it, which should make it that much better." He nodded in defeat, and Hyde rang up the two records, glowering all the while. He didn't like the way Jackie was looking at Spike, and he REALLY didn't like the way Spike was looking at Jackie.

"Is she leaving?" the woman on the couch asked, flipping through a magazine. "Or is the skinny screechy pathetic convention meeting here this year?" Jackie looked crestfallen, especially when Hyde sort of chuckled. Hyde didn't even know why he chuckled.

Until this point Spike thought that maybe this Steven fellow had picked the stripper for her personality. Now he was under the impression that he was just an idiot. Well, this won't do, Spike thought, and looked over at Sam.

"Who's the bint?" Spike asked, knowing full well. "I thought that the hookers were near the truck stop outside of town." Jackie burst out laughing, but then covered her mouth. The woman stood up, and glared at Spike and Jackie.

"Hey man, that's my girlfriend," Hyde said, though not very adamantly. Spike feigned shame.

"Oh, sorry mate, a right lovely girlfriend you have too," he said, and shot Jackie a 'YIKES' look as he grabbed the records. Jackie stifled a grin, and Hyde walked out from behind the counter, miffed. Though he wasn't sure if it was because this guy had insulted Sam or because Jackie was so taken with him.

"Jackie, I'm not stupid," he said. "I know that you aren't dating this guy. He's just some punk you paid off so he would come in here and act like your boyfriend to make me jealous. And do you know how I know this? Because he seems smart enough to know not to get involved with you." Jackie held her lips in place, but Spike could tell that she was extremely hurt by this comment. He had to put an end to this. He put himself between Jackie and Hyde.

"First off, mate, you don't know anything about me," Spike said, surprised at the anger in his voice. "Second off, you don't have the right to talk to a paying customer that way. And thirdly, I guess that in the end I should thank you for being such a jerk, because now this charming bird is in my life." And with that, he planted a long kiss on Jackie's lips, catching her off guard, but she played along quite well. After he was done snogging her, he smirked at Hyde and his stripper.

"Come on, love, let's go listen to some ABBA," he stated. He put an arm around Jackie, and she raised her eyebrows at Hyde.

"I guess we're off," she said. And with that they turned, and left the record store. As soon as they'd left the view of the two in the store, Jackie began jumping up and down squealing that girly squeal of hers.

"Was that snogging?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Wow!"

"Did we do good?"

"That was AMAZING!" she exclaimed, tapping his chest with her hands. "Ohmigod, Spike, I finally have this album and you TOTALLY stood up for me! I can't believe you called her a prostitute!" Spike laughed, and shoved his hands in his coat pockets, oddly enough, in a sheepish manner.

"'S'nuthin," he said. "Well, I'm glad I could help you, but-." She then began crying. "Christ, what is wrong with you now?"

"I don't get it!" she said, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I didn't even do anything to either of them and he just… unleashes meanness! He used to love me, and now he treats me like I'm lower than the scum of the Earth!" Spike groaned, and wanted to go snap the jerk's neck. He wouldn't think twice about it, but instead he put an arm around Jackie, much to his dismay. Getting attached to a girl who you could have had for dinner, way to go, William. He pat her shoulder in a effort to calm her down, but she threw her arms around him. Oh hell, he thought, but slowly and reluctantly embraced her too. He then noticed a sign in the record store window that caught his eye. 9:00 SHOWING, NOVEMBER 17th. DAWN OF THE DEAD. He felt a sneaky grin spread across his face.

"Hey Burk, I have an idea," he said, letting her go.

"What's that?" she sniffed.

"It'll take your mind off that jerk in there," he said. "Where's the movie theater?"


	3. Growing Closer

A/N: Holy CRAP I've left out disclaimers on both the first two chapters!! I feel like such an idiot and or thief! Heh, oops. Anyway, I know that perhaps Spike just insulting Sam isn't REALLY enough, but I use her later in the ManhattanVerse, so her death isn't really an option. But I DO have a solution that I think people may find favorable in this chapter… Thanks for all the reviews, and on we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own 70S SHOW nor BUFFY, but if I owned Spike I wouldn't have treated him so unfairly (::cough:: Marti Noxon ::cough::). I also don't own DAWN OF THE DEAD.

* * *

She led him to the theater, and looked up at the marquis. 

"9:00 showing, November 17th. DAWN OF THE DEAD," she read, and then threw her hands up in the air. "NO."

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"I mean NO! I didn't see it with my friends when it came out, and I'm not going to see it now!" she exclaimed, and tried walking away, but he caught her arm in his hand. "Spike, I HATE horror movies!"

"They're good for the soul, Burk, you're gonna love it," he said.

"What's to like?" she demanded.

"Zombies trashing a shopping mall and therein satirizing consumerism?" he asked. "What ISN'T to like?"

"I happen to be a main follower of consumerism, and I would thank you NOT to compare me to flesh eating MONSTERS!" she snapped, stomping her foot on the sidewalk. He grabbed her shoulders, and smiled reassuringly.

"I'll pay for your ticket and popcorn, and you're going to enjoy yourself," he said. "You're going to love this movie."

"What makes you so sure?"

"For one thing, I'm pretty sure there are zombies in it that look JUST like that bitch in the record store," he said. In reality he didn't know. She shifted her eyes, and then groaned.

"Dammit, Spike, you KNOW that I can't say no to that," she said, and he laughed a little. "Fine. But I want a soda too. And I hate you."

"No you don't."

"No, I don't." He nodded, and they walked to the box office.

They were the only people in the theater.

"Great, no one in this town appreciates good cinema," Spike said, and Jackie munched on her popcorn. "George Romero is one of the great filmmakers of our time, and no one in this lousy town is even here to revel in his genius!" Jackie rolled her eyes, and put more popcorn in her mouth.

"Spike, Romero makes zombie movies. I don't think that you can compare him to someone like Coppola, or Kubrick, or Hitchcock," she said as she chewed, and he shot her a look. "What? I'm just saying-!"

"I didn't ask for your opinion."

"Well by now you should know that you're going to get it whether you like it or not," she said, and he took some of her popcorn. "Hey! That's mine!"

"Well by now you should know that I'm going to eat some whether you like it or not."

"Lay off my popcorn!"

"I bought it!"

"For ME."

"You're pretty self absorbed, aren't you?"

"Well DUH." He paused, then took more popcorn, and she moaned. "I hate scary movies. At least I can yell and scream and no one will be here to be bothered by it."

"Except me."

"I told you horror movies AREN'T my thing," she said, and ate more popcorn maniacally. "I think that maybe I should go-." She stood, and Spike pulled her back down.

"Sit, love, you won't get hurt in a movie theater," he said. "Don't be scared, it's just a silly movie." She sighed, and he nudged her arm.

"I promise you are going to have a good time, Burk," he said. She nodded, and ate more popcorn. "You're like a black hole with that stuff." She threw some at him, but couldn't help laughing as the lights dimmed.

"Oh no, here we go," she muttered. But she felt better than she did at any other horror movie. She looked over at Spike, who was entranced in the film as it projected on the screen. She felt herself smiling, and put the popcorn between them. He looked down at her, and saw a coy smile on her face as she watched the action.

She did yell a lot during the movie, be it about the characters bad choices, or in fear as the zombies claimed victims, but that was okay. At least she was having a good time. And she was quite a chatter box:

"Well that just doesn't seem responsible to me. Running around a mall with zombies outside, I don't know…"

"So wait, he's a policeman, a survivalist, AND a hobby abortionist? What DOESN'T he do?"

"Oh, well that was dumb. Way to be like Icarus, Roger!"

"Aw, that's sad. Is it bad that I feel bad for the zombies now?"

"Zombie pie fight?!" On that last one, Spike clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Would you stop talking?" he snarled.

"Oh calm down, you've seen this," she muttered, shoving his hand away.

"You're ruining the suspense!"

"Oh WHAT suspense? The stupid zombies are lumbering around like they're halfway comatose!"

"Real zombies aren't that slow," Spike said, absentmindedly. She looked at him, and then giggled a little bit.

"Heh, yeah, REAL zombies are marathon runners," she said, and laughed. "God you're funny!" He laughed a little too, and made a mental note to not be so forthcoming.

"I don't get it," she continued. He looked down at her. "I don't even know anything about you, and I'm acting like I've known you forever." He smirked.

"You're just caught up in the mystery that is Spike," he said. She shrugged.

* * *

Once the movie ended, they walked out of the theater. She was holding her breath, and exhaled disappointedly. 

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I was hoping it had snowed," she answered.

"Oh, bad luck," he said. "So where shall we continue this date?"

"It's a date now?" she retorted. He hadn't really thought about it. Was he really on a date with a 19 year old rich girl who had never experienced the cruelties of the world beyond cheating and bastard like beaus? Practically innocent in most ways was not what he looked for in a girl, but then of course with Dru he was a complete ghoul in every sense of the word. With Jackie he was… somewhat normal. He never realized his desire to be normal until that moment of his vampirism.

"Sure, Burk. What's the last date you had?" he asked.

"The last real date? I don't know," she said. "But now I pick what we do. And it won't be a gross zombie movie."

"You loved it."

"… I did NOT," she said, but smiled a little bit.

"Fine, you pick."

"Um…. Well, stores are closed, so shopping is out of the question."

"What a pity."

"You don't mean that. And, of course, The Hub is closed too, so we can't go there," she said. "Omigod! I have the best idea! Where's your car?"

"By the bar," he said. "Why?" She grinned, and jumped up and down again. "Christ, why are you hopping now?

"Do you have skates?"

"Skates?"

"You know, ice skates."

"Now why would I have ice skates with me?"

"Donna may have some of Eric's, let's go to her house."

"Are we going skating?"

"… Yeah!"

"Christ."

"Oh stop your whining, if the zombies could do it so can you."

"The zombies weren't skating, I'll have you know," he said, following her to his car. "They just sort of walked on the ice rink by accident! They were slipping and falling and-."

"And you're more coordinated than a zombie, Spike," she said, pouting a little bit. He pursed his lips. How dare she pout? He could resist Dru when she pouted, barely. But Jackie's pout was formidable indeed. It was convincing, yet sensual… He growled, and nodded.

"Fine! We'll go ice skating!"

"Yay!"

"You're a sneaky one, Burk."

* * *

She directed him to Donna's house, and insisted he come and meet her best friend. She knocked on the door, and a pretty blonde in a blue robe opened it, followed by a gawky looking man. 

"Jackie, it's eleven thirty at night, what do you… Who's this?" Donna asked, eying Jackie's guest.

"Donna, Eric, this is Spike," Jackie said, presenting her new friend to her old ones. "Eric, I thought you'd be here. Do you have any ice skates Spike can use?" They walked into the kitchen, and Eric and Donna were still taken aback by Jackie's date.

"Um, yeah, they're in my garage," Eric said.

"Didn't you take yours to your new place?" Donna asked.

"No, they're still in your garage," Jackie said. "This is perfect! Only one stop and then we can go skating! Eric, come with me and help me find yours, Spike, Donna, you stay here. Chat!" She scampered to the garage, Eric following, and Donna and Spike were left alone in the kitchen.

"So… I'm Donna," she said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Hey," he said, and they shook hands.

"So are you and Jackie… You know," she said. "... Dating now?"

"Me and Burk? No," he said. "We just met and hit it off... Okay, so I guess we're on a 'date', but it hardly counts." Donna laughed a little bit.

"Sorry for laughing," she said. "But, you two hitting it off just seems funny. She usually doesn't talk to, um, punks." He smiled, and laughed a little bit.

"I can see how you'd be surprised."

"But," Donna continued, "this is the happiest I've seen Jackie in awhile. So, I guess you really did hit it off."

"She's a fun bird," Spike said. "She's very…"

"Peppy," Donna finished. He nodded. "Yeah, she's been pretty down lately. But tonight she…you've done something." She laughed a little at the end of that statement.

"Something…. Good?" he ventured. She smiled, and nodded.

"I think so, yeah." He wasn't used to doing good things, so he felt uncomfortable with that statement, and how it made him feel. He wasn't used to feeling good about something like that. "You seem pretty cool. Jackie could use that right now."

Jackie pranced back into the kitchen with two pairs of ice skates. Eric followed, kind of cowering behind Donna to avoid Spike.

"I hope these fit you," she said, and handed him a pair of hockey skates. "Do you skate a lot?"

"Ummm, no," he said.

"Well you're in for a fun time!" Jackie said. "Let's go! Thanks, Eric!"

"You're welcome," Eric said.

"Call me tomorrow, okay?" Donna asked. Jackie nodded. "Nice to meet you, Spike."

"You too, Donna. Eric," he said, as Jackie pulled him out of the kitchen. Donna watched them walk to the front, where his car was, and Eric whistled.

"Well there was something I never thought I'd see," he said. Donna nodded, and the phone rang.

"Now what?" she asked, and grabbed it off the wall. "Hello?"

"Was that Jackie and that weird guy leaving your place?"

"Hyde?"

"Was it?"

"Uh, yes," Donna said, looking out the window towards the Foreman's house. "Where are you?"

"Kitchen. What did he say to you? What did he say to her?"

"Are you stalking Jackie now?" Donna asked. "Hyde, if you still care about her why don't you just talk to her?"

"I don't!" he protested. "Aren't you, as her best friend, concerned about her safety?"

"Hyde, there's nothing to be worried about," Donna said. "Spike's a cool guy from what I can tell, and what's one little date?"

"It's probably all part of his master plan to-."

"Oh yes, ICE SKATING is part of his master plan to kidnap her and do horrible things to her," Donna said, sarcastically. "You have it so bad for her still and yet it just comes out as anger. Would you please get a clue, Hyde?"

"Whatever, Donna, I find it sad that I'm the only one who's worried about this stranger and his intentions-."

"Goodnight, Hyde." She hung up, and shook her head at Eric. "I'm sick of this back and forth they're doing. If he wants to be with Sam, he should be with Sam, but if he wants to be with Jackie, he should do that."

"It's Hyde," Eric said. "He doesn't know what he wants."

Hyde walked to the fridge after Donna hung up on him, and poured himself some juice. He had tried not to think about Jackie getting on with her life, but somehow it seemed inevitable. When she had dated Fez it hurt, but it wasn't like she was really moving on. She was still stuck in their group, clinging to it for dear life. But now, with the arrival of this mysterious stranger, it seemed as if it signaled an actual change. As much as he told himself, and Donna, and Sam, that he was over Jackie and didn't care what she did with herself, this whole Spike situation really riled him up. And he was worried. He got a vibe off the guy that just seemed dangerous. Not artificially dangerous, but actually dangerous.

Jackie was climbing in Spike's car, and then pointed at the Foreman's house.

"That window up there is where Steven and Sam sleep," Jackie said, a little sadly. "Of course bad luck goes with that room anyway, cuz Eric's sister Laurie used to sleep in it. So clearly it's possessed or something." Spike nodded, noticing the tree that was growing right up into the window, and got a really cruel idea.

"So I think I left something in Donna's kitchen," he said. "I'll be right back, you can start the car."

"Okay!" With that, Spike ran to the Pinciotti backyard. As soon as he was out of sight, he leapt over the fence and jumped into the tree with his vampyric jumping skills. He stopped at the window, and looked in. Sam was there, sleeping, but Hyde wasn't with her. Probably getting a midnight snack or something, Spike said. This is perfect! I could wake her up, convince her to invite me in as if it were a dream, and then get a snack before going to Jackie's place. He licked his lips a little bit, but then thought about it on a deeper level, something he didn't do when considering his victims. As much as he wanted to make a midnight snack out of Sam, he knew that Jackie wouldn't approve, no matter how much she hated the woman. It would probably go something like this:

'You're a vampire?'

'Yeh. Want me to eat Sam?'

'You can do that?'

'Yeh.'

'Oooh. Yes! I mean, no. Well… no, don't do that.'

Driven by a need to please Jackie (a feeling he didn't like one bit), Spike just decided to do the next best thing. He knocked on the window. Sam sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and looked at him. She looked more confused than normal, and Spike waved at her. She waved back, slowly, and Spike then put his vampire face on. His eyes turned yellow, his face contorted, and his fangs were that much more prevalent.

"Evening, Samantha!" he called through the glass, and she screamed. He let out a roar, and pretended to begin opening the window. Samantha's terrified screams echoed through the house as she ran out of the room, and Spike jumped from the tree as the lights in the house began to turn on. He put his human façade back on, and strolled back to the car, quite proud of himself. Jackie was bopping to the 8 track, and Spike grinned at her.

"Are you dancing to Black Sabbath?" he asked.

"Is that what this is?" she asked, holding the 8 track box up so she could see it. "Oh, I guess I was." He burst out laughing.

"God you're weird."

"Find whatever it was?" she asked as he climbed into the car.

"Yeah, guess my lighter just fell from my pocket," he said, and she shrugged as they drove away. She was blissfully unaware of how hysterical Sam was at the moment, telling Hyde and Red and Kitty about the monster in the window. Heh, Spike thought. If Jackie had been able to understand, she'd of really appreciated it.


	4. Heart to Unbeating Heart

A/N: Again, I wish to thank everyone who read and especially those who reviewed. I had to compete with a certain boy wizard this weekend, so thanks from those of you who took the time to review! This story is pretty much at it's midpoint, and I'm having fun with it. Hopefully you're all still there with me!

Disclaimer: I don't own 70S SHOW nor BUFFY. But if I owned Spike, well….. I'd be one happy camper!

* * *

A hockey rink near the elementary school was the destination, and Jackie laced up her skates as Spike tried balancing on his. He hadn't skated since he was a teenager, so it had been a long time indeed. Plus the new designs were very different from his old pair.

"Are you about ready?" he asked, holding onto the fence. She stood, and glided to him with ease.

"Yep!" she said. She held out a gloved hand. "Need some help?" He groaned, and accepted her hand. She smiled, and he skidded a little bit. She laughed, and held him up.

"You're strong for a twig," he said.

"I'm not a twig! And I was a cheerleader, I had to hold other girls up! I'll help you skate, you just relax and move like a ballerina," she coached.

"I feel like a fairy."

"Fairies are graceful too! They have wings, way to think positive!" He was doing a pretty good job, and she let his hand go. "Look at you! You're skating!" He chuckled, and then slipped.

"Bugger!" he said, and hit the ice.

"Omigod! Are you okay?" she asked, holding out a hand to him, though she giggled. He took her hand, and then playfully pulled her down. She shrieked, and hit the ice next to him. "Oooh you creep!"

"Oh, so sorry, love," he said, and laughed. She huffed, but laughed too.

"I bet you are," she said, and sat up. "Ugh, I'm gonna have a bruise on my ass."

"Shall we try this again?" he asked. They stood, and she held his hand as they skated. "This is a very different date than I am used to."

"What kind of dates do you and your girlfriend go on?" she asked. He smirked. He and Dru didn't really date. They had sex and killed people, and that was about all there was to their relationship.

"Oh, we go to clubs, go to dinner, go to movies," he said, as it wasn't a total lie. They did those things…. "Dru isn't really the dating type."

"Is she nice?"

"… Well, she's nice enough for me," he said. "But I'm not very nice."

"Oh puhlease."

"You'd be surprised, love." He skated wobbly to her, and she sort of caught him as he skidded a little.

"I doubt it," she said. "You know, people don't think I'm nice either."

"Really? I think you're pretty nice."

"Maybe we're so mean we think each other as nice."

"…Maybe." He tipped forward, and she pushed him upright again. She skated backwards, and began to belt out 'Dancing Queen' at the top of her lungs. "You certainly stick out in this town, don't you?"

"Oh yes, and you blend in with your Shaft jacket," she retorted. "Look, you just needed practice. You've got it now!" She was right, he was skating fairly well now. She took his hand again and had him skate with her.

"You're certainly touchy feely," he said.

"If I let you go, you'll fall," she stated.

"Har har." She giggled, and put an arm around him. Hello, what's this? He thought, and looked down at her in the moonlight. She was smiling at him. Oh bloody hell, he thought, my charms are working on her and I didn't even mean for them to. What am I supposed to do now? Sure, she's cute, and fun, and I feel less like a crazy murdering vampire and more like a man…

Fuuuuuuck, he thought. The fact is I AM a crazy murdering vampire. And she has no idea.

"You know, it's getting late, and-."

"Stay the night with me," she said, abruptly. He raised his eyebrows at her.

"ExCUSE me?"

"I don't mean in a sexual way, but I don't want you driving this late. We can play cards or something, we can watch TV, just… stay the night with me."

He looked down at her, and she looked so earnestly up at him.

"You can go in the morning," she said.

"No I can't," he said.

"Why not?"

"I can't travel by day," he said, softly. She tilted her head, and he sighed. "I know it sounds weird, but I can't."

"Then you can spend all day at my place, I just… I can't be alone tonight," she said. "I'm not going to make a move on you, or take advantage of you. I need someone next to me while I sleep. Because I'm going insane." He couldn't believe that he was doing what he was about to do, but he found himself nodding.

"Yeh, okay," he said. She smiled, and they skated back to the side of the rink. Spike, you're being a dumbass, he thought. How do you explain away your inability to see the sun? But he decided to worry about it when it happened. For now, he was going to be there for this very confounding and captivating girl.

"Slumber party!" she squealed, and Spike rolled his eyes. Confounding, captivating, AND ridiculous.

* * *

She walked into the apartment, laughing and talking, and Spike had to wait for her to invite him in. After all, as a vampire he wouldn't be able to enter without an invite. She continued chatting, and he stood there, hands in his pockets. She finally noticed his hesitation, and put her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Well you haven't invited me in," he said, dryly.

"Are you all of a sudden Victorian now?" she asked.

"Hey, I'm just trying to be polite," he said, lying through his teeth. She stood on the other side of the door, and smiled.

"Spike, won't you PLEASE come in?" she asked, and he sauntered through the door.

"Certainly," he said, and someone burst from one of the bedrooms. They both jumped in alarm, and turned to see her roommate. It was a man, he looked Latino but Spike couldn't be sure, and he was fuming.

"Where have you been?" he demanded. "You're never out this late! I was worried sick about you!"

"Oh Fez, calm down," Jackie said. "I was out with Spike." Fez put his hands on his hips, and scrutinized the punk.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"This is a friend," Jackie said.

"A friend, or a LOVER?" Fez threw back.

"It's not really your business!" Jackie exclaimed.

"So you move on to him?" Fez asked.

"Fez, we've been over this, and you dumped me, in case you forgot," Jackie said, and Spike sort of chuckled a little bit. "Besides, Spike is just a friend. We're going to my room now."

"Oh sure," Fez said. "You go to your room with friends but not ME when I was you boyfriend."

"Oh knock it off," she said, taking Spike's hand and tugging him with her.

"Well, night, mate," Spike said, and followed her into her room, leaving Fez shocked and bemused.

"Make sure you shut the door all the way, he likes to peep," Jackie said.

"Lovely."

Fez went for the phone, and dialed the Foreman house.

"Yeah?" Hyde answered.

"Hyde, I have a problem!"

"Fez, it's almost two!"

"There is a strange man with Jackie in my apartment," Fez said.

"…. Why should I care?"

"I'm scared! He looks like a Sex Pistol."

"Fez, I have enough on my plate right now, okay? Not only is Jackie going out with that thug, but Sam is refusing to go to sleep because she's convinced that a vampire is outside our window wanting to kill her! In fact, she thinks that Jackie's THUG is the vampire!"

"…. Is she a dumb dumb?"

Jackie went into her walk in closet, and put on pajama pants and her old Led Zeppelin tee shirt. Spike craned his neck subtly so he could catch a glimpse of her while changing. Pervy, he knew, but he was still a guy and she was a gorgeous little thing. As she put on her pajama pants, he saw bright red cuts on the backs of her thighs. He yanked his head back in surprise, wondering how depressed this girl really was, and wished he hadn't looked. He liked the ignorant bliss of thinking she just liked to drink. Cuts pointed to a more serious problem. She walked into the main room, and Spike whistled.

"Sexy," he said, and she curtsied and grabbed a deck of cards from her desk drawer. "How often is that desk used?" She shrugged.

"When I'm writing letters to people," she said. "Eric and I had been keeping in touch. And I write in my journal from time to time. You can be sure that YOU are going to be the next thing I mention, with glowing reviews I might add." He nodded, and she began shuffling the cards.

"Any school work?" he asked. She shook her head. "Why not? You're at college age."

"I just didn't go to college," she said. "I was supposed to get a job in Chicago, but, as you know, that fell through. And now I'm here, kind of drifting." She dealt the cards, and he looked at his hand. It wasn't too good, but then he remembered he hadn't asked what they were playing.

"What game?"

"Go fish."

"Psh. Fine. Got any fours?" She snorted, and handed him two fours. "Heh. Got any threes?" She shook her head, and he went fishing.

"You're in trouble now, mister," she said, arching an eyebrow in determination.

"What do you want to do with your life?" he asked.

"Are you a guidance counselor now?"

"Just curious."

"Well… I don't know," she said. "I don't really want to stay here for too much longer. It gets harder and harder every day. Got any queens?" He handed her a queen, and she smiled. "Why, what would I do anyway?"

"Well, you could go to college," he said.

"Why would I want to do that?"

"Because school is important," he heard himself saying, and wondered what this was all about. Spokesman for the education department now, William old boy? "Just apply around, see where you get in. It could give you an ego boost anyway." She shrugged, and they continued their card game.

* * *

After she won twice in a row, he gave up and they were now just lying on the bed, talking. She had told him about her parents, who sounded awful, and her troubles with her self esteem.

"My therapist says that I just don't feel like I have any self worth unless I am with a guy," she said. "Is that pathetic?"

"Actually, when I'm without a girl I am pretty lost," he said, and could tell her eyes were beginning to fall into sleep. It was pretty late, and it had been a long night for her. "See, this first girl I loved, Cecily, she was prim, proper. Very old fashioned. And I wanted her to like me so much, I wrote her poetry, and-."

"YOU wrote POETRY?" she asked, laughing. He glowered, and shoved her shoulder a little. It WAS the Victorian Era at that time after all, why should he get any grief? "Ow, easy. Can you recite me something?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"I was a pretty bad poet, okay?"

"Well the fact that you actually made the effort should have swept her off her feet," Jackie said. "I know if someone wrote me poetry, it would be magical! Well, Michael wrote me a dirty limerick once, but that wasn't really pretty. And it may have involved Barbarella, I just don't remember."

"Sick. Anyway, I tried to be the perfect gentleman because she was the perfect lady. But she had none of that. And now, I'm with Dru."

"What's she like?" Jackie asked. "Besides sounding like a cheating bitch."

"Oh, you know, Burk," he said. "She's… wild. She's raw, and just a little bit crazy. Check that, a LOT crazy. And now look at me. I'm a punk in New York and I'm rough and tough and mean too."

"You're not mean," she said, eyes losing the fight to stay open as she pulled her legs to her chest. "You try to be hard, I can tell that, but you aren't. You care about those around you. You've just been told too many times that you're a monster. That you're worthless. I understand that. But you aren't." She tapped his nose with her finger on 'aren't'. He smiled, and put a blanket over her.

"We're alike in a lot of ways," he said, starting to feel tired himself. "We're hopeless romantics who want approval in any way, shape, or form."

"Hear hear," she murmured. "Spike, do you think I could go to college?"

"Yeh, I do," he said. "You're bright. You'd survive fine. You'd get in."

"Huh," she said. "Maybe I'll do that. Maybe I'll go to college." She was almost asleep. "Spike, why can't you travel during the day?" He turned so his back was to her, a sad scowl on his face.

"It's complicated," he muttered.

"What, are you a vampire or something?" she asked, and laughed a little to herself.

"Actually…. Yeah Burk, I'm a vampire." What are you doing? He wondered. What on EARTH possessed you to tell this human that you were a vampire?

"You're such a weirdo," she yawned. He smiled sardonically. God if only that were the case, he mused. But of course she wouldn't believe him. No sane person who hadn't seen it first hand would believe him.

"Night, Burk," he said.

"Night, Spike." He turned over, and watched her sleep for awhile, brushing her brown hair from her eyes a little bit. She just screamed innocence. Normally I would make my kill move when she is this vulnerable, he thought, but instead just brushed her hair from her eyes continuously, and she snuggled closer to him in her sleep. He put his arm around her. Is this the whole 'acting like the woman I want to love thinks I should act' thing I was waxing poetic about, he wondered, and sighed. I'm not used to being this mushy. She affects me like few can. And it was never this quickly. He knew that he needed to leave the next day, for her own good. And it pained him to think about it as he fell into a restless sleep.


	5. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner!

A/N: This was slightly delayed. I'm in a reading race with my boyfriend and spent some time catching up. And YES, I was hoping for more reviews so I held out, but that didn't help, and I'm ahead in the race by a long shot, so here is the update! I hope that y'all are hanging in there, this is a pretty fun chapter, I think. Only two more after this, and that includes an epilogue. Enjoy! And reviews are always appreciated, but I won't beg… at least not yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own 70S SHOW nor BUFFY. Or Spike, and I pout about that.

* * *

Spike woke up, and looked at the nearest clock. 2 in the afternoon. He had time before the sun set, but it was November in Wisconsin. He had probably three hours. Three and a half at the most. Jackie was still asleep, and he sat up. For a split second he thought that they had slept together, but he then remembered that they _had_, but not in a sexual sense. He was happy for that, and also that the curtains were closed, and a dark purple so they absorbed the sunlight. She stirred, and sat up abruptly.

"What time is it?" she asked, voice dripping with slumber.

"It's two," he said.

"JEEZE, I hate sleeping this late!" she exclaimed, throwing the covers off. "Oh my God, I hope I wasn't supposed to work at the TV station today!"

"You work at a TV station?" Spike asked, and laughed a little bit. She snorted, and threw a pillow at him.

"Not for long," she said. "I don't think I work today." She yawned, and the phone rang. She leapt up and ran into the main room. Spike stood, and cracked his neck. He followed her into the main room, and avoided the sunlight. She was talking in the kitchen as she grabbed cereal from the cupboard, milk from the fridge, and bowls from the other cupboard. She was chatting into the phone as she poured cereal, getting more and more belligerent.

"Well I don't think it's your business who stays over night with me," she said, and set a bowl of Cheerios on the table. Spike figured it was for him, so he sat, wished he could have some blood, and reluctantly ate the cereal. "Oh for crying out loud, Steven, I don't understand why you're even-." Spike held out his hand, and Jackie handed it to him.

"Look, Steve, let the girl eat some cereal. And for being over her, you certainly do pester her like a lonely puppy," Spike said, and handed the phone back.

"Yes?...Well who do you think it was?" Jackie asked. "Goodbye, Steven." She hung up, and began to eat her cereal too. "Can you believe that joker?"

"You seem to be enjoying the attention," Spike said, referring to the smile on her face.

"It just feels nice to have the shoe on the other foot for once," she said. "That used to be me, when he first brought that slut home."

"It's good you got past that," he said. She nodded, and hummed as she ate her food. "Oh you are REALLY enjoying this, aren't you?" She laughed a little, and nodded.

* * *

They watched TV until it was dark out, and she did her nails and talked through most of the soap operas and news programs. While it probably annoyed most people, he found it endearing, and didn't mind it too much. She redid his nail polish, surprisingly she had black. She explained she bought it when she wanted to be seen as more badass. She even buffed his nails, which he thought was pointless, but she did a mean manicure. 

"Very black," he said, and she nodded. "You didn't have to do them."

"They were chipped, I had to do something," she said. "It's SO cool you wear nail polish! I love it when men are in tune with their feminine sides."

"Whoa whoa, 'feminine' side?"

"Yeah!" she chirped. "The eyeliner, the nail polish, the rings you have on your hands…"

"Feminine nothing, it's the style," he snapped, and she clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "But Chroist you did a good job with the nails!"

"It's what I do," she said, flipping her hair back from around her neck. Adorned around her throat was a choker that had a silver cross on it. Better stay away from THAT thing, Spike thought, and pointed at it.

"Nice necklace," he said. "I didn't take you for the religious type."

"Huh?" she asked, and then touched it. "Oh, this. I'm not really. Daddy gave it to me right before he went to prison, he thought that if his family looked pious maybe they'd be easier on him in sentencing. I just tell myself that he gave it to me out of love for his only child." Spike snorted.

"Wanker."

"Well maybe, but he is my Dad. You have pretty jewelry too."

"It's not pretty, it's fearsome," he stated, and she examined his rings.

"I like this one especially," she stated, pointing to a simple obsidian ring on his ring finger. He would have said that he got it while in China right after the Boxer rebellion, but decided that would be too forthcoming.

"Glad you like it," he stated. "It's not feminine though."

"Fearsome?"

"Damn right."

The phone rang. Jackie huffed, and stalked to it.

"If that's Steven again I am going to tell him where he can put that phone of his," she stated. She answered it, and Spike leaned back on the couch.

"Oh hi, Kitty!" Jackie exclaimed, her voice filled with joy. "I'm good, how are you?... Oh, uh, tonight?... Well, yes, I guess it IS true that I have a friend in town… No, he's not my boyfriend…. Well I don't care what Steven said, he isn't…. Uh, let me ask." She covered the receiver, and turned to Spike.

"Want a free dinner at Eric's house?" she asked. Spike sat up.

"Pardon?"

"Well Kitty, I don't know if that's such a good idea," Jackie said, twisting the cord in her hands. "…. Well thank you for making sure Sam wasn't going to be there, but… Okay, hang on." She turned back to Spike.

"I guess they're having roast with potatoes and gravy," Jackie stated.

"Rare roast?"

"Is it a rare roast?... Yes, Spike, it's a rare roast." Spike licked his lips. Perhaps he'd get some blood tonight, even if it was watery cows blood. Blood was blood as far as he was concerned, at least at this point anyway.

"Okay, but after dinner I NEED to hit the road-."

"We'll be right over, Kitty!" Jackie said, and hung up, smiling at him. "Now you need to behave-."

"When haven't I behaved?"

"Because Kitty and Red are very important people in my life," Jackie continued. "And be polite because Steven is going to be there-."

"I've BEEN polite to HIM!" Spike snapped, and Jackie rolled her eyes.

"And I thank you for that," she said. "So let's go! We can take separate cars if you want to leave after dinner."

"Sure," Spike said. "Am I dressed okay?" She looked him up and down. He was wearing that cool leather jacket, but his jeans and tee shirt were torn, his hair had the hell bleached out of it, and he had eyeliner around his eyes and polish on his nails. Red would NOT approve.

"You're perfect," she lied.

"…. I don't believe you."

* * *

They stood on the stoop, the cold air blowing through their hair, and Jackie shivered. 

"This wind would be worth it if the snow came with it," she said, frowning. Spike nodded, though without a body temperature he couldn't empathize. "I'm going to cuddle against you."

"That won't help," he said. She ignored him, and snuggled into his side.

"Oh GOD you're just as cold as the wind," she said, and pulled away.

The door opened, and Kitty Foreman smiled brightly at Jackie and the man she assumed Jackie had moved on to despite the girls protests.

"Welcome! Come in!" she exclaimed, not batting an eye at Spike's appearance. "We're having beef roast and potatoes, and for dessert I'm serving my famous chocolate cake!"

"Thank you for the invitation," Jackie said. "What's the occasion?"

"Oh, this is my pre-Thanksgiving warm up meal," Kitty said. "I just like to practice so I KNOW that I am ready for the Big One. And Jackie, who is your friend?" Spike waved a little bit, and Jackie gestured to him.

"This is my friend Spike," Jackie said, and Kitty smiled even bigger. It didn't matter that he looked dirty and perhaps a little scary: Jackie was smiling. That was something Kitty had missed.

"Hello," Spike said, and Kitty threw her arms around him. He gave Jackie a look, and she shrugged.

"So nice to meet you, you've been quite the talk of the house," Kitty said. "Red! Eric! Steven! Jackie and her friend are here! Come say hello!"

The three men trudged out. Spike had met Eric and Hyde, but the patriarch of the family was a stranger to him. Red looked him up and down, and then rolled his eyes.

"Jackie, what are you thinking?" he asked.

"Reeed," Kitty warned.

"Clearly she wasn't thinking at all," Spike said, sarcastically, and Red smirked. Good one, mate, Spike thought, though he didn't expect that kind of reaction. Jackie smiled smugly, and crossed her arms.

"I was thinking clearer than YOU'D like to think," she said, poking Spike in the chest.

"Jackie, you can help me with the potatoes, boys, why don't you take Spike down to the basement to watch some sort of sporting event?" Kitty asked.

"Sure," Red said. "Come with us. Is that a real British accent?"

"Yeah, I'm from London," Spike said, following them.

"Well then some good old American Football oughta be new to you," Red stated. Before they went through the kitchen door, Spike turned and made a 'I'm gonna get you for this' face at Jackie. She waved a little bit, snarkily, and Kitty turned to her.

"Well isn't he just a handsome thing?" Kitty asked.

"So you aren't put off by his… punkishness?" Jackie enquired.

"Sweetie, it would be downright hypocritical of me to let a stripper live in my house and then pass judgment on him," Kitty stated, flatly. "You're on potato duty, a ha ha ha!" Jackie followed her into the kitchen, and was handed a masher.  
She mashed the potatoes as best she could as Kitty poured runoff blood and grease from the roast into a bowl.

"So tell me all about him," Kitty said. "Is he as charming as he seems? Did he just sweep you off your feet?"

"Kitty, we're just friends," Jackie insisted. "No one believes me on this. NO one."

"Well I've just heard so much about him from both Eric AND Steven," Kitty said. "Though Steven didn't have much nice to say about him."

"I bet not," Jackie said. "Well don't listen to whatever Steven has to say about Spike, because Spike is a GENTLEMAN and quite possibly the best guy friend I've ever had."

* * *

In the basement, Spike was watching the football game grudgingly. If this is the modern American life I'm glad I'm not part of it, he thought to himself. 

"So Spike, what teams do you like?" Red asked. "You live in New York right? Jets fan?"

"Actually, Red, I'm not really a sports person," Spike said in all honesty. "I'm much more content at the movies or at a concert, or even at home with a good book."

"YES. Yes," Eric said, pointing at him. "I like this man. He knows the simple pleasures in life. Hey Spike. Star Wars 2 comes out in May. Seeing that?"

"Oh GOD yes," Spike said, leaning forward. "We've waited long enough, roight?"

"YES," Eric stated, and grinned. Hyde just scowled as he watched the football game, exceedingly mad that the person he considered an enemy was sitting in HIS chair talking with HIS friends, and most likely fucking HIS ex girlfriend. The green eyed monster had almost consumed Hyde, and he silently fumed.

"Oh spare me, you two," Red barked, and Spike and Eric both shut up. "Spike. What kind of name is that?" Spike shifted in his seat a little bit, and shrugged. Of course he was going to face an interrogation. These Foreman people were the family that Jackie had picked for herself when her biological family failed her. So he had to face the stereotypical overprotective Dad.

"Just a nickname," Spike muttered. "I just assumed that a name like Red was a nickname too."

"Kick his ass for insolence, Red," Hyde said, but Red just shook his head in an amused fashion.

"That's fair, if you don't like your real name I'll respect that," Red said. "But now I'm going after your heritage."

"Okay."

"You realize that we saved your ass in World War Two," Red stated.

"And we thank you for that," Spike stated. "I'm sure we would have extended the same courtesy in Vietnam had it been a winnable war."

"Oh my GOD he brought up 'Nam!" Eric exclaimed, and he and Hyde stood up, anticipating a showdown between Red and Spike. "Spike man, you may want to run."

"Vietnam was a tie," Red said gruffly. "Everyone knows that."

"I think that South Vietnam didn't see it that way when they fell to the North," Spike said, in his wise ass manner that made the ladies swoon. "All I'm saying is that maybe the US of A should hold off the puffed up chest beating until they've been the world's great super power for as long as Britain was, God Save the Bloody Queen."

Hyde's and Eric's jaws were dropped. Red and Spike stared at each other in a battle of the grit, and the only noise in the basement was the TV as the Packers played The Vikings. Red then smiled, and nodded.

"You make a good point," Red said. "Maybe we'll just have to agree to disagree. Good argument, kid. But let me just say that your country's time has passed as a superpower."

"Well, we can't hog all the glory," Spike said coolly, and smiled back. Eric and Hyde were shocked to say the very least.

"Boys, dinner's ready!" Kitty called, and Spike and Red walked towards the steps together.

"Want to argue about the Boston Tea Party?" Red asked.

"If that floats your boat," Spike stated. Eric and Hyde trailed.

"I think that he might just be a God," Eric stated. "Did you SEE that?!"

"Yeah yeah, I saw it," Hyde muttered.

* * *

The table was seated as follows. Kitty at the first end, then Hyde, Eric, Red at the other end, then Spike and Jackie. 

"Boys, can we stop talking about Football versus soccer?" Kitty asked of Red and Spike firmly.

"Sorry Mrs. Foreman," Spike said.

"Yeah, sorry Kitty."

"Let's talk about how you two met," Kitty said, gesturing to Spike and Jackie. "How long have you known each other?"

"Well, let's see, it's about seven thirty," Jackie said. "So… almost twenty four hours!"

"Yeah, that sounds right," Spike said, picking at the potatoes. His stomach was growling, but not for root vegetables. "We just started chatting, hit it off, went on a date."

"Oh, was it romantic?" Kitty asked, living through Jackie vicariously.

"It was a zombie movie," Jackie said.

"Oh."

"But there WAS some ice skating," Eric said, and Jackie kicked him under the table. "Ow!"

"Ice skating?" Kitty asked. "That's refreshingly old fashioned."

"Jackie's idea," Spike said, motioning to her with his head. "I could barely stand."

"It was cute," Jackie stated, and Hyde set his fork down noisily.

"Steven are you okay?" Red asked, amused at his surrogate son's jealousy.

"Yes."

"So why couldn't Sam make it tonight?" Jackie asked, rubbing salt into the open wound upon his pride. Hyde didn't answer, so Eric piped in.

"She's out looking for remedies against vampires," Eric said, and it was Hyde's turn to kick him. "OW! Would everyone stop kicking me?!"

"Vampires?" Jackie asked, trying not to laugh. "Um….. May I ask why?"

"She had a bad dream she swore was real saying that a vampire was in her window last night," Kitty said, cutting her meat fiercely, as if she'd had quite enough of the little tramp and her antics. "I don't understand her sometimes."

"So is she out buying garlic or something?" Jackie asked. "Maybe stocking up on some holy water, getting some stakes or crosses. You know, if she wants she can always borrow this necklace-."

"Can it, Jackie," Hyde said, and Jackie shrugged.

"…. I thought vampires only went after pure girls," Eric said, pensively.

"Not necessarily," Spike said.

"Oh are you a professor in demonology now?" Hyde snapped.

"No," Spike spat back.

"Well you certainly seem to know a lot about vampires."

"I was just saying not necessarily!" Spike exclaimed, trying not to get TOO defensive. "No need to get all mad at me. S'not my fault your girlfriend's gone out of her mind and thinks she sees monsters round every turn."

"Listen, you Billy Idol wannabe-."

"No, YOU listen, Steven," Jackie said. "We're guests here and we will be treated as such! You are ruining a lovely dinner Mrs. Foreman has prepared and if you have a problem you can take it outside with Spike, but I warn you. He's from New York. He's SEEN things. Crazy things." Though it was true, Spike burst out laughing at her ad libbing.

"Jeeze Burk!"

"What?" she asked, incredulously.

"You sound like Dennis Hopper in 'Apocalypse Now'!" he guffawed, and then Eric began laughing too.

"Nice movie reference!" he exclaimed.

"Mrs. Foreman, this is lovely beef, but I was wondering if there was anymore gravy?" Spike said, using the false charm he usually used to lull people into a false sense of security to get in good with this Midwestern family.

"Oh, it's in the kitchen sweetie, let me get it," she said.

"No no, I'll get it," Spike said. He smiled at Jackie, who smiled back at him, and he walked through the doors into the kitchen.

"Isn't he just COOL?" Jackie asked as she turned back to them, absolutely giddy.

"Yes!" Eric agreed. "I think I might have a man crush on Spike… Yep, it's official. I'm the Fez to his Kelso."

"Lord Eric," Red muttered. " 'Man crush'?"

The reason Spike was out of gravy was because Kitty thickened it with the blood and grease from the run off of the meat. Spike had sensed blood right away and did his best not to vamp out at the table, but he did consume all his gravy in one fell swoop. Now that he was in the kitchen, it didn't matter if he did switch faces, as no one was there to see it. And the smell was even stronger. He sniffed, and found the bowl of extra run off on the counter by the stove. He licked his lips, and tried to push away the thought of being THIS desperate and uncivilized in his feeding, all because of his need to impress some human girl he would never see again after that night. He put on his vampire face, and began to drink from the bowl. He felt stronger and stronger as he drank the putrid concoction. He took what he could get.

In a case of the worst timing ever, Sam walked through the back door, carrying a bag of anti vampire paraphernalia, and stopped in her tracks. Spike put the bowl down, his game face still on, and she began screaming.

"VAMPIRE! HE'S HERE! HYDE, HE'S HERE!" she shrieked, and threw the garlic at him. He ducked, changing back to his human face just as everyone ran in.

"Samantha, what on Earth is the matter?!" Kitty exclaimed, and Sam kept pointing at Spike, in hysterics.

"Why is he here!?" she exclaimed. "I told you HE was the vampire! It was HIM!"

"Oh my GOD, would you chill out?" Jackie snapped, stepping in front of Spike and glaring up at the blonde. "He's not a vampire, you nit wit! Vampires don't exist!"

"But I SAW him!" she wailed, backing into a corner. "He had yellow eyes, and horrible fangs! He was going to eat me!"

"Samantha, I invited Jackie and her friend over for dinner," Kitty said, trying to temper her frustration with the blathering idiot. "He's just a charming young man from Europe, he isn't a vampire. CLASS does not equal VAMPIRE." Jackie turned to Spike.

"What happened?" Jackie asked him, earnestly.

"She just began yelling as soon as she walked in. And, she threw that at me," he said, pointing at the garlic necklace on the floor. Jackie picked up the garlic and threw it back at Sam, which hit her in the chest.

"You're a hysteric!" she snapped.

"Hey come on, don't throw that at her," Hyde said.

"She threw it at him first!" Jackie said, stamping her foot on the floor. "God, this is so pathetic! You're being a jerk to Spike because you're JEALOUS or something and your girlfriend is being hysterical because she's a total IDIOT! Everyone else likes Spike, why don't you?"

"He isn't right for you!" Hyde yelled back.

"You don't have any say in what's right for me anymore, Steven!" Jackie snarled. "Kitty, Red, this was a LOVELY dinner, it really was, but I think that Spike and I need to get going. He leaves town tonight and we want some alone time before he does."

"Okay," Kitty said. "Well, thank you for coming! A ha ha ha!" The awkward laugh made it's appearance, and Jackie took Spike by the hand, and pulled him out of the kitchen.

"Nice meeting you all," he called as the brunette yanked him out the door. In one last act of cruelty, he winked at Sam, which no else saw, and she whimpered and kept crying as she sank to the floor.

"Steven, tell your girlfriend to get a grip," Red muttered, and Hyde just stomped to the basement.

"…. So who wants cake?" Eric asked. "I wish Spike had stayed for cake…"

* * *

"I can't believe them!" Jackie stormed as they walked to their cars. "God, he's a jerk and she's completely off her rocker."

"No kidding," he said, acting completely innocent. "Well, it's getting late, and-."

"You wanna go to the Water tower with me? Just quickly?" she asked, sort of smiling up at him.

"What? For a shag?"

"What's a shag?"

"Sex."

"Uh, NO! I didn't mean it like that!" she exclaimed, hitting his chest with her hand. "You can see the whole town, and the guys managed to rig a radio up there, so we can listen to ABBA on the pop station."

"I hate bloody ABBA."

"For the last time, no one hates ABBA."

"I do!"

"Don't be such a baby," she said. "Besides… There's some beer up there too. It's Stevens, but-."

"Yeh, alright," he said.

"Great!" she said, and she put his arm around her shoulders. "We can take your car, I'll just leave mine here and get it tomorrow."

"Well I'll have the decency to drop you off," he muttered.

"Awww."

"Oh please, you make something out of nothing all the time."

As they were getting into the car, Eric rushed out with two slices of cake wrapped in plastic wrap.

"Mom wanted me to send this with you two and to apologize for… Oh what did she call Sam?... Oh that's right, the 'frantic hussy' and her accusations," Eric said. "No matter how crazy they may be."

"Thanks, Eric," Jackie said. "Frantic hussy. I like that."

"Well, again, it was nice meeting you, Spike," Eric said, shuffling his feet a little bit.

"Yeah, you too, Eric," he said, saluting as he climbed into the car. "See ya."

"Bye Eric," Jackie said. "I'll probably see you later this week." They drove off, and Eric grinned.

"So cool," he said to himself, and walked inside.


	6. You're Beautiful

A/N: Okay yes, this chapter is completely named after the James Blunt song. It's sort of sappy music, but I like it when in a sad mood. And plus, as I worked on this chapter I listened to the song a lot, because I think that it fits how Spike views Jackie totally and entirely. So after this there is a short epilogue, but tonight Spike leaves Point Place. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed and read. I'm glad that this story worked out, and I'm also happy that it even entertained those who don't watch Buffy. Spike as a character is cool that way.

Disclaimer: I don't own 70S SHOW, James Blunt's music, Pete Townsends's music, nor Spike (but I agree with Illyria and wish to make him my pet).

* * *

_Yes she caught my eye as she walked on by. She could see by my face that I was fuckin' high. And I don't think that I'll see her again, but we shared a moment that will last til the end. You're beautiful, you're beautiful, you're beautiful, it's true. I saw your face in a crowded place, and I don't know what to do. Cuz I'll never be with you.. – James Blunt  
_

They drank the beer and looked up at the stars in the winter sky.

"It's cold up here," he said, though it didn't bother him.

"It's Wisconsin, it's cold everywhere," she said. "You want my scarf this time?"

"It's pink."

"It's cashmere."

"Cashmere comes in scarves?"

"… It may, but this was specially made. Michael gave it to me as a sweater, and when he left me for California I cut it up and made it into a scarf." He laughed, and looked at the pot leaf that was painted on the tower.

"You and your friends find ways to have fun, that's for sure," he said. She nodded, and leaned against the rail.

"I love winter moons," she said. "I know it isn't really winter until it's snowed, but the air is so cold. Oh no! I think my nose is frozen!" The beer was certainly getting to her.

"Yeh, it's alright out here I suppose," he said.

"So when are you going back to New York?" she asked, playing with her scarf.

"I don't know. Probably tonight once we're done here," he said.

"You shouldn't drive after you've been drinking," she said. "So what did you think of Steven?" He didn't like him, and knew that Jackie could do better, but knew she still cared for him, so there must have been something good in him if she did. After all, she saw the good in Spike.

"I think he's a fool for dumping you for that twat."

"Wow! What does that mean?" she asked, and waved as she threw a beer can to the ground below.

"It's a rude word."

"That's good enough for me," she said. "I've been wondering. What's your real name?"

"Couldn't Spike be my real name?" he asked, opening another can.

"Oh puhlease, did your mother really write 'Spike' on your birth certificate?" Jackie asked. He chuckled, and shook his head.

"No. It's William," he said. "My name is William Pratt." Was William Pratt….

"It's nice to meet you, William Pratt."

"And I you, Jacqueline Burkhart." She nodded, opened another beer for herself, took a drink, and coughed a little.

"I hate beer," she said. "At least this gross macrobrewed crap. William, can you-?"

"Spike."

"Ugh, fine. SPIKE, can you tell me how to get over him?" she asked. "You're older than me, more mature. How can I forget him?" Spike groaned. Giving advice to a teenager now?

"Burk, love, do you actually want to get over him?" Spike asked, looking at her. She crossed her arms.

"I don't know. What I do know is that I just want to move on," she said. "But I'm stuck."

"Fine, I'll give you some advice, I suppose. For one thing, stop drinking your problems away," Spike said.

"Does this count?" she asked, pointing at the beer can.

"Oh no, this is social drinking with a friend," he said. "It's if you drink alone then it becomes an issue. So don't do it. Or you'll be that drunken old hag in the bar."

"Ew! Thanks a lot!" she snapped.

"Well it's true!" he growled. "And… Look, I know you've been cutting yourself." An embarrassed pall fell over her face, and she looked away.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied.

"Yes, you do," he said. "I saw your legs."

"When?"

"Last night."

"You saw me in my panties?!"

"It was an accident!" he lied. "Dammit, just stop with the cutting, okay? I know it feels like you have control over it, more control than your fucked up life, but you don't."

"You don't know that," she snapped. He'd obviously hit a nerve.

"Burk-."

"No! You don't know!" she exclaimed. "You don't know how this feels!"

"Sure I do! I've been kicked around by cupid just as much as you have!" he threw back. "I'm just trying to help you because…. I…. I caaaare about you." Getting that out felt odd, and his voice lilted a little bit. She looked at him questioningly, and then raised her eyebrows a little bit.

"You do, huh?" she asked. He pursed his lips in a small scowl, and nodded.

"Don't go spreading it around," he said. "Can I continue with my patented ways to get over a spouse?"

"Well since you're still with that Drusilla girl they don't sound like they work too well."

"I'm going to throw you off the water tower-."

"Okay okay okay," she said. "Continue. I appreciate the advice, and I caaaare about you too." She mocked his intonation, and pat him on the shoulder.

"Cheeky strumpet. Next, start dating again," he said.

"Spike, I tried that."

"So try again," he said. "You need to get out there, find some nice guys. Don't just date anyone you see, and don't throw yourself at anyone. Just go out there, and be yourself."

"Myself doesn't work."

"It does, you nit, it attracted me, didn't it?" he asked, reluctantly, and she grinned from ear to ear.

"Awwww! Really???"

"Shut it."

"Well I already got step two down, cuz I dated youuuu."

"Shut. It. Three, when you're ready, try to be friends with him again."

"Why?"

"Because it's closure," Spike said. "If you can interact with him normally again, you will be able to move on." She sighed, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"But the most important thing is that you have to live your own life and not worry about his," Spike said. "You can do so much with your life, love, you just need to try." She nodded, and nuzzled her head into his shoulder.

"So you have to leave?" she asked.

"Yeh." She took his hand in hers.

"Why?"

"I'm not cut out for the Midwest."

"You're so cool, though! Can't you just stay a little while longer?" she asked. He shook his head. "Why not?"

"You don't want a guy like me in your life for too long, Burk."

"Why not?"

"It's a complicated situation. I'm not very safe."

"You seem pretty safe to me, William."

"SPIKE."

"Okay okay okay," she said, and looked at him. "But if you stay, every day can be like this." He smirked, and shook his head.

"As tempting as that is, it can't be done," he said.

"Why not?" she asked. "I have so much fun with you. You helped me smile. Oh my God. I just figure it out. YOU can be my white knight."

"Wait, what?"

"You are my savior!" she exclaimed, the epiphany hitting her. "Destiny brought us together last night, I just know it. I know it because you make me feel so good! I haven't felt this good in a long time, and I can tell that you haven't either, so don't even try and deny it." Of course she read him like a book. She always had. He was so flattered it almost disgusted him. He was no one's white knight. He was the dragon the knight fought. He was the predator, not the hero. And this naïve girl had it all mixed up. Poor thing.

"I'm no prince," he said, firmly. "And you should have a prince."

"You can be! You will be!" she said, and he growled. "Why won't you just stay one more night? I bet I could convince you. You and me-!"

"Because frankly, Burk, if I stay any longer you WILL convince me and I may not want to leave!" he snapped. She was surprised by the frustration in his voice, but not afraid.

"Why is that a bad thing?" she asked, her frown heard in her voice. He stood, and paced the water tower a little bit.

"You are a great girl and I would fall for you hard. Very hard. Love's slave, remember? And I think that we could probably make each other pretty happy for at least a little while, until my circumstances interfere. Look, I would love to stay, or take you with me, because you HAVE given me something. REAL happiness. Happiness that I thought I'd left behind me YEARS ago, and I mean YEARS. But I can't stay for reasons that you can't understand."

"Can't you help me understand?" she asked. He smirked, and shook his head.

"God I wish I could, Jackie," he said. "But you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"…. Oh," she said. She was very sad to hear this, but she knew that he was set on leaving, and that it was probably for the better in the end. "Okay." He nodded, and looked at the beer she'd stopped drinking.

"Sides, your whole fixation on me? That's the beer talking," he said, sitting next to her again, but she shook her head, and laid it back on his shoulder. "You have to believe me when I say this. You're the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. And though it's hard to understand, I'm leaving because I feel this way." She huffed in frustration, and crawled so she was behind him. She hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around the front of him and nuzzling her neck against his. He was going to pat her head, when he realized that his neck hurt like the Dickens. He pulled away, swearing, and put his hand to it. He then noticed that her choker with the cross on it was smoking a little bit. She looked at his neck, and pulled his hand away gently. Oh fuck me, he thought. There was a cross shaped burn, red and blistering.

"What's that?" she asked, softly. He didn't answer, and she touched it tenderly. He closed his eyes, mortified and ashamed. Plus, it hurt. "You're burnt…. My necklace… Oh my God..." Would this change anything? Of course it would! How couldn't it?

She made him move his face to look at her. He opened his eyes, and gazed into hers. They were filled with a kind of knowledge that he'd only seen in those who understood that the supernatural walked among them.

"Can't travel by day," she said, almost a whisper. "Have to be invited into my home…"

"Jackie," he muttered, allowing himself to step into the personal world that he had denied for so long. "I can't really explain-." But she put her hand to his mouth, as she'd done so many other times before, and looked at him seriously.

"Spike. I… I understand," she said, smiling compassionately.

Those two words never felt so good on his ears. He exhaled, and smiled back in relief. You underestimated her, old boy, he thought. She understands, and she doesn't care. He took her hand, and chuckled a little in spite of himself.

"You understand?"

"Yes." He chuckled a little more as the giddiness poured into him. It hadn't changed anything. It really hadn't. Though, it may have changed _his_ perspective a little bit.

"You understand," he repeated. "God, you've just made my week. I never thought you would, but you do." She nodded, and smiled widely, and they hugged each other tightly.

"Spike, will you miss me?" she asked. He nodded. He WAS going to miss her. "I'm gonna miss you too. I wish you could stay. I know why you get me so well."

"Oh yeh? And why's that?"

"You get me so well because we're soul mates." The power in those words was almost unbearable. For the first time since he was sired, he wanted to be human again. He didn't know it then, but almost twenty five years down the road he'd feel that longing again. For now, though, it stung him hard, especially since he was falling for her more and more by the minute.

But it wouldn't work. She may have understood him, but he wasn't her soul mate, and he knew it. Her soul mate was back at that record store. Spike could tell by the way they looked at each other, no matter how bitter the eyes were, there was still love. Love that he could never understand because he didn't have that vital component that created love. Without his soul, he couldn't give Jackie what she wanted. Even if he wanted to.

"….. Soul mate, huh?" he asked, letting her believe her lie. "That's mighty flattering, Burk. Maybe on some level…"

"Wait one minute!" she exclaimed, pulling from their embrace. "Sam! She said that you were… How did she… What did you do?" He grinned evilly.

"Let's just say I gave her a good scare last night when I told you I'd left my lighter in Donna's kitchen."

"Oh you're BAD!" she exclaimed, swatting his shoulder and laughing. "That's not very nice, Spike."

"Like you care! Don't get all judgmental on me now, Burk."

"Oh I'm not, that made my year."

A light snow began to fall from the night sky. They both looked up, and Jackie began to smile so wide she almost gleamed.

"It's snowing!" she exclaimed, and she stood up. He stood up with her, and lit a cigarette. "It's finally snowing!"

"Hm, so it is," he said. She looked up at him, and smiled.

"You brought the snow," she said, wistfully. "You brought what I'd been hoping for."

"Don't be ridiculous," he muttered, shuffling his feet and feeling very uncomfortable. "I didn't do anything, it's bloody November, the snow comes on it's own. It's Wisconsin for Christ's sake!"

"You're the man who brought the snow," she said, and threw her arms around him once again. He huffed, and rolled his eyes, she was ridiculous. But adorable. "Oh Spike!" He found himself smiling, and laughed a little bit.

"I didn't bring you anything," he insisted, but she planted a kiss on his lips anyways. He was surprised, but kissed her back. He was never going to see this bird again, and he had better make the most of it while he still could.

"I will always remember you as the man who brought me snow," she said, and he rolled his eyes, but continued hugging her.

"Soul mate or not, you still confuse the hell out of me."

* * *

She stood by his car, after they drove back to the Foreman's neighborhood where her car was parked, and began digging through her purse as he started the engine.

"What are you doing now?" he asked. She pulled something from it, and handed it to him through the window.

"I always have a few extra pictures of me in my wallet," she said. "So I want you to have one. Just so you remember the fun we had." He smiled a little, and put it on his dashboard.

"Seems fair to me," he said. He then pondered, and took his obsidian ring off. "Here."

"What?"

"You can have this ring," he muttered. She took it, and smiled at him.

"But, it's your fearsome ring."

"It's not fearsome, it's feminine, and I want you to have it," he said.

"Thank you! You're giving me a friendship ring! It symbolizes how we'll always be friends through thick and thin, and how our bond will be eternal!"

"Oh God, HOW do you make everything sound so bloody GIRLY?" he asked, and she slipped it on her thumb. She leaned into his window, and smiled at him. "Well Burk, it's been a great night. You really put a smile on this old bloke's face."

"You put one on my face too. And thank you for the advice."

"Well… thank you for understanding," he stated. "Not many do."

"For the record," she said, in full seriousness. "To me you'll never be a monster."

"…. You have no idea how important that is to me." He winked at her, and revved the engine.

"Tell Steven I say 'bye, mate'," he continued, and she giggled.

"You know I will," she said, but then frowned a little as tears began slinking down her cheeks.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked, softly. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, and exhaled sharply as if trying to regain some control. As they both knew, she hated losing it.

"I don't want you to go." He nodded, and set his lips in place. He touched her face, and she put her hand on his hand as it held her gently.

"I don't want to go either," he said. "Just know that I won't forget you."

"I know," she said, her voice breaking. "I couldn't ever forget what you've done for me. You… You've changed me." He squeezed her hand, and kissed it.

"Me too," he stated. She leaned in, and they kissed each others cheeks. She touched his face, stepping back onto the curb.

"Goodbye, Spike," she said. "I'll miss my vampire." He smirked a little, and winked.

"Goodbye, Jackie," he answered, and pulled away from the curb, watching her through the rearview mirror as he drove away from her. She waved, and jumped up and down. He was sorry to leave her, but knew that she would be okay. Even if he wasn't sure he would be.

Jackie watched his car drive, and turn the corner, towards the road out of town. She waved until he was out of sight, and then sighed heavily. While she knew that it would never work, he'd made her life as great as it was when she was with Steven. She bit her lip, and walked towards her blue Camero, holding out her hands so the snow would fall into her arms, as if the snow could hold her and tell her that it was going to be okay. She wept bitterly, and the snow flakes mixed with her tears as she cried into the air. She sat on the curb next to her car, and held her face in her hands.

* * *

Spike huffed, in a mood because of having to leave the one person who really understood him, and feeling extremely guilty and alone. He wasn't about to cry, as he never cried for anyone or anything, but he had to stop the car to stop his shaking. And he stopped his car outside Grooves. He saw Hyde and Sam in the window. She was reading a magazine and he was looking ever so broody. Kind of like how Angelus used to get. Spike stopped the car, and did all he could do for his friend he'd never see again and the one person who didn't care what he was. He got out of the car, and walked into Grooves. 

Hyde was already in a bad mood, being called into Grooves on a Sunday night after that AWFUL dinner, when he looked up to see the punk he wished he'd never set his eyes on again. He groaned, and Spike walked up to the counter. Sam looked up from her magazine, and saw him. She then bolted from the main room into the back room. Hyde rolled his eyes, and Spike gave him a look of condescending scorn.

"Still thinks I'm a vampire?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Heh, I get that a lot."

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Maybe I want some music."

"I doubt that."

"Well, yeah, you're right," Spike said. "Listen up, mate, and listen good. Frankly, I don't think you deserve a girl like Jackie. For you to choose…" He gestured to the back room, and wrinkled his nose, "THAT… Over a lady like Jackie Burkhart… It blows my mind. For some reason, she still cares about you. But then, she cares about me too… But you don't seem to give a hoot in hell about her. Of course, then I just look deeper."

"Yeah, and what do you see?" Hyde snapped.

"I see a guy who is trying so hard to forget her he'd throw his happiness away," Spike said. "Hell, I'm in that boat too, mate. And I've only known her for a day. For you to know her all those years….. No wonder you're so far gone."

"Do you love her?" Hyde asked. Spike paused, and then smiled.

"We'd known each other a day," Spike said. "Is that even possible?"

"Do you love her?" Hyde repeated, more forcefully.

"…. No," Spike said. "I honestly don't know if I CAN love. And I'd be lying if I said your ex didn't make me want to try. But don't get all bent out of shape, cuz she'll never love me. Like me, she's loves bitch and holds out hope for the person who treats her the worst. Maybe that was all it was between us. I wouldn't know. I'm stepping aside, mate, for my own reasons. But I suggest that you suss out if you want her or not. Because she shouldn't have to wait forever, and I can guarantee you that she won't." With that, he saluted snarkily, and left the record store, and Point Place, for good.

As he drove, he turned on the radio, scouring the highway for the nearest truck stop. When faced with feelings you weren't used to, it was best to go on a rampage, that's what Angelus always used to say. Somehow, Spike knew it wouldn't work this time, but still. Besides, he was hungry.

"I don't mind other guys dancing with my girl," Roger Daltrey sang. "That's fine, I know them all pretty well. But I know sometimes I must get out in the light. Better leave her behind with the kids, they're alright. The kids are alright." Spike smiled ruefully.

"Sing it, mate," he stated, and sped up in an attempt to escape the fact he'd never felt so hollow in his life.

* * *

A/N 2: I'm so sad to be done with this story. Well, there is an epilogue, don't forget, but still. And as you who've read my other Manhattanverse stories, it takes Hyde TEN YEARS to suss out what he wants… But still. 


	7. Epilogue : Forget Me Not

A/N: Ah. C'est fini. I hope that you all enjoyed reading this as much as I really enjoyed writing it. You've all been quite supportive, and I thank each and every one of you. ::grins:: Here's the epilogue, it's short but sweet, I think. And bear with me, as I can't write Drusilla for shit. She's just THAT crazy.

Disclaimer: I don't own 70s SHOW nor Spike. Pity.

* * *

A few evenings later, Jackie was sitting in the Hub, enjoying a soda and writing down a list of schools she could apply to. She thumped her pen on the table, and kept looking back at New York University. She didn't know if she would get in, but it kept creeping to the top of her list. She didn't know if it was because it was New York, or because Spike lived there, but it was somewhere she really wanted to go. She sighed, and put a star next to it. 

"Closing time," the soda jerker said. She looked up at the clock. Time had flown like mad. She nodded, grabbed her things, and left The Hub. She had walked there, and now it was ten and she had a walk home to contend with. She was about to go to a pay phone and call Fez, when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned, and saw Hyde standing there.

"Hey," he said.

"Oh, hi," she answered, shoving the list of colleges into her pocket. He had been in Grooves, about to sleep on the couch as he didn't want to spend the night with Sam (she was still talking about a vampire trying to kill her and Jackie clearly being behind it), when he saw Jackie in the Hub at closing time. So he decided to talk to her.

"So your new boyfriend left, huh?" he asked, rubbing his hands together.

"He wasn't my boyfriend, Steven," she said, softly. "And I didn't pay him to pretend to be one. He was just a friend. And yeah, he's gone."

"You seem a little sad to see him go," he said. She nodded, and looked back at the road, fiddling with the ring around her thumb.

"I am," she stated. "He was a stranger, but he and I connected on a level that I haven't felt since… Never mind. We'll just say he gave me this snow. And I'll always remember that." Hyde didn't even try to understand what she was saying, he gave up on that a long time ago. But she looked content, and it made him feel a little happier.

"You know, Sam is still convinced that he's a vampire," Hyde said. Jackie chuckled, though it was a little sadly.

"He gets that a lot," she said. He nodded, and shrugged.

"She also thinks that you control him like he's your pet and you want him to kill her," he continued, and she laughed snidely.

"You sure can pick 'em, can't you?" she said, insulted at the insinuation. He shoved his hands in his pockets. She stomped the ground a little bit in frustration. "God. I miss him, Steven." Hyde nodded, and put a hand on her shoulder gingerly.

"You want me to drive you home?" he asked. She looked at him, surprised at the offer, but nodded.

"I would like that," she said. He smiled a little bit, and they walked in comfortable silence towards his car.

* * *

As Spike entered his shabby abandoned apartment, Dru stood up from the dirty couch, her crazy eyes glinting. 

"Spoike," she said.

" 'Lo, Dru," he said. "I'm back."

"Daddy came back to us," Dru said to the porcelain doll she held in her arms. "Daddy was mad at Mummy, but now he's back because he loves Mummy so so much." He smiled ruefully. She put a hand to his face, and smirked cunningly. "Miss us, Daddy?"

"You know how it is," he answered, and she wrapped her arm around his back.

"I missed my big, bad, Spoike," she whispered. "I missed my vampire."

"Don't call me that," he said, tersely. She stuck out her lower lip, and held up her doll in the childlike insanity that followed her around.

"Won't forgive us yet," she said to it, eyes flashing. "But he will soon. He always does. Because only mummy loves him." She turned, and skipped to the bed. Spike sighed in defeat, wishing it wasn't true. But it was. He put his hands in his pockets, and felt the picture. At least Jackie Burkhart wanted to try. So he smiled at Dru, and let that thought keep him hanging on. Someday, maybe someone would love him in return.

So he got in bed with Dru, and hid the picture from her for all the years they were together. To Dru he was just the vampire she'd sired. To live with that for all eternity was going to be hard.

* * *

New York City, November, 2004 

Spike was exploring the city by subway. It had been awhile since he'd been back to Manhattan, and he was seeing it in a new light. Maybe it was the fact it was very different from Southern California, now his least favorite place in the world. Maybe it was the fact that he didn't have Dru with him this time. Or maybe it was the fact that he was seeing it through the eyes of someone with a soul. In any case, it was nice.

He was meeting a friend at Coney Island. It wasn't as if Astroland was open in November, but she liked Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Stand, and who was he to turn down a request for a meeting there? He was running late, but that didn't really matter to him. She could be patient.

He was leaning back on the train's seat as people got on. Probably going home to Brooklyn after a night in the city. Thank God I don't commute, he thought, and watched people get on and get off.

"So how did you like the show?" he heard a man's voice say.

"It was SO good," the oh so familiar other voice exclaimed. Spike opened his eyes, and looked to where the voices were coming from. It was impossible. Jackie? But… she looked… young! By now she'd be in her forties, and…

"I thought you'd like it, Cordelia," the man said. "We'll have to tell your siblings that they missed something really great."

"Barry, Izzy hates the theater, and James can barely sit through a Disney movie on the couch," Cordelia said. "Besides, I like having some time with you. Mom's intense and Dad's just… Dad."

Spike had stood up and walked to them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but… Are you related to Jackie Burkhart?" he asked the girl. She looked at him, questioningly.

"Yes… She's my Mom," she said. "But she's Jackie Hyde now. Why?" So she married the git, he thought, and smiled to himself. Good for her. Soulmates work out for some people.

"Ah," Spike said, gathering his wits about him. "Well, that's great. Bloody fantastic. Could you… Cordelia, was it?"

"Yes," she said, and Barry looked at this stranger with a wary eye.

"Could you tell your mother that an old friend says hi?" he asked.

"Yeah," she stated. "What's your name?" He paused, and shrugged.

"William," he stated. "Tell her that William says 'hi'… AND also tell her that I hope that it snows. Can you do that for me, ducks?" Cordelia nodded, and Spike smiled at the girl who was the spitting image of her mum, if not younger than when he knew her.

"Sure," she said. "I'll tell her you say 'hi' and that you hope it snows. What does that mean?"

"She'll understand. Thanks," Spike said. She smiled back at him, knowing somehow that this was very important to not only him, but her mother as well.

They got off at the next stop, and Spike watched her go. Jackie was somewhere in this big city. Perhaps he'd seek her out. Or perhaps they should just cling to what they shared on that night twenty five years prior. Jackie had found her destiny, and Spike might not have been a part of it.

His phone rang. He fished it from his pocket, and looked at the name. He smiled a little. Getting impatient, are we love? he thought, and answered it.

"Yeh?... Yeah yeah, I'm on my way," he said to his friend. "Patience is a virtue, poppet...See you soon."

Besides. He was seeking out his own destiny now.

THE END

* * *

A/N 2: I left the person on the phone open ended for you Buffy fans out there. The person on the line can be whoever you want it to be. Thank you all so much!!!  



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